Hope in Faith
by Pumpkineater
Summary: Hope is a helper at the De Noir castle, employed to look after the mad Robin De Noir. But William De Noir has other intentions. Still in progress
1. Chapter 1

Crying in your room over a boy is stupid. Crying in your room over a boy who has completely captured your heart is reasonable.

I sat up and rested my head against the back of my bedroom door. A tear slowly rolled down my cheek and trickled down my neck. Why was I so stupid? He loved her, the stupid little moon princess who went and died. I hate her, I hate her. She broke his heart. She snapped it right in two.

My bird boy. I smiled, even though I should be sobbing my eyes out. Robin De Noir, the boy who locked himself in his room for a year and a day, the boy who lost his love on a cliff edge. Robin De Noir, the boy who I have to look after.

It's silly really. His father, William De Noir, employed me as a maid, though of course he had other intentions, what with me being pretty. Used to sneak up on me and squeeze various body parts. Until I threatened to tell.

To make me stay, he told me about his son. He's locked himself in his room shortly after Maria died, and had gone mad. If I could help his son, he'd never touch me again.

So I did. I got Robin dressed, and combed his brown curly hair, and sang him to sleep. And slowly but surely, fell in love with him. Of course, Count De Noir was falling in love with me.


	2. Fantasy

I'd seen the moon princess once before. She was lurking about in the castle, looking for the moon pearls. Of course, we all knew there was nothing in the dratted box, just dust and empty promises.

I was being followed by Count De Noir. For some reason, he was fascinated by me, and I was repulsed by him. He was fat and squat with long black hair that was turning grey quicker than it ought to. I was thin and spindly with brown hair that had to be tied up in a bun. I didn't care about the rules and regulations that the other servant girls despised of. I wanted to look ugly and stupid. Maybe then the Count would stop wanting me.

Obviously, the moon princess was beautiful. She had blonde hair than hung at her waist, and she wore a blue gown that displayed her wealth. I hated her on site. She stuck out against the dull dark colours we all wore.

And I saw the look Robin gave her. At that point I didn't know him. He was just 'the Count's Son' and nearly all the girls fancied him. There were rumours spreading round about him all the time. That he was secretly a girl. That the Count abused him. That he was gay.

I didn't believe a word. It was too fantasy, too make believe. But I wished that the look he gave the moon princess was made up. Robin stared at her as if she was the only girl in the world, the most loving, the most kind. But I knew she wasn't. She seemed arrogant and ugly and, and, and…I was sinking down to her level. Insulting people you knew nothing about.


	3. Loathing

After she'd been thrown into the dungeons, which I have to admit I'd smirked at, dinner ended. I wondered off, in a daydream about the princess dying in horrible ways. I walked straight into the Count and I knew at once I was in a trap.

"Hello, my darling" He smirked

"Don't you darling me. I aint your darling, I aint anybody's darling!" I snapped back.

He ran a paw through my hair. "Such a pretty little wench. Almost good enough to eat!"

I slapped his hand away. "Go away! Go look after your son"

The Count rubbed his hand and then used it to tilt my head up. "Why would I ever look after my son, hmm? He's been nothing but trouble around this place."

"Because you're his father. And fathers are meant to love their children." I said coldly.

He looked at me. "I'm not his father. And I never will be." He pressed his lips against my neck.

I kicked him hard. "Leave me alone!"

But he only chuckled and trailed a finger down my face. "You are a feisty thing. But I will have you one day."

I stared at him for a minute, and then pushed past and ran down the stone steps and into the bedroom I shared with the other girls.

"What's the matter Hope?" Mary asked. She was the second youngest and a little slow, but made up for it with her kindness.

"The Count." I rubbed at my neck where his cold grey lips had touched my skin.

She smiled sympathetically. "Is he giving you a rough time again?"

One of the older ones, Gina, looked up. "I would love it if he gave me a rough time! Don't you want to clasp those gorgeous hands in yours?"

I shuddered. "No! I hate him. I wish he went after you instead!"

Gina smiled. "Just imagine him touching you, feeling you, wanting you…"

Another girl through her comb at Gina. "Play nice! Mary and Diana are only little!"

"I'm 14!" Said Mary indignantly.

"And a dear. Gina stop fantasising, you'll get warts, Hope, come and sit with me." The eldest, Hannah stood up and opened up her arms too me.

I went over and let her make a fuss of me. "Don't fret little one. The Count will get bored of you soon enough, and then you'll be happy and a good girl."

She fussed with my hair a little. But I didn't mind. At least she wasn't the Count.


	4. Mistakes

The next morning we were awoken by a loud thumping on our bedroom door.

"Everybody up!"

Gina groaned and yelled out "You're too early. Girls like me need our beauty sleep!"

The servant boy stuck his head round the door, causing many of the girls to shriek. "Count's orders! Maria has escaped and we've declared war on Moonacre valley."

I groaned loudly. "Why do we need to be up?"

He shrugged. "I haven't a clue. But do it or you might be unemployed before the day is out!"

And with that, he slammed the door shut.

We got out of bed and changed into the stupid outfits we had to wear and hurried out and into the great hall.

"This better mean a pay rise" Gina muttered as the first blast of icy wind hit us.

"I agree." I said, linking arms with Mary, who gratefully nuzzled into my shoulder.

"What will they do when they catch Maria?" She asked.

"Kill her."

I hadn't noticed Robin behind me. He jumped down from a window ledge and looked at me. I stared back.

"You shouldn't be talking to me" I blurted out, before I could think.

"You shouldn't be out here. It's too cold."

"Oh, and I suppose you can't feel the weather because you're a man?" The words were escaping like birds from a bag.

"I'm wearing lots of clothing"

"Oh." I was making a fool of myself. Why on earth was I talking back to him? If his father saw me talking to Robin, he might think I was flirting. I didn't want Robin to get hurt.

"Are you Robin?" Asked Mary.

"I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Mary. And I'm only 14, so don't make any moves on me."

Robin laughed at her. "I'm 17, so you don't need to worry."

"But the Count's over 50 and he fancies Hope."

I blushed tomato red. "Mary, why don't you go talk to Hannah?"

Robin looked at me. "So you're the girl who's got his attention."

I knew how many words he was substituting for the word girl. "I don't want him" I said quickly.

"Not many do. I need to go…I have to search for Maria." He ran off.

Little did I know, that one little sentence changed my life forever.


	5. Murder

We must have spent five hours outside in the cold. By then, of course, it had gotten lighter, and I was able to see. Gina came over to me for a little bit and we spoke about Robin, and how interesting he was.

Then the coldness got worse and she went off to flirt with some boy who might warm her up. The wind blew right up our skirts and froze our legs. Many of the girls didn't wear underwear, as they were infatuated with the idea of the Count feeling them. I wore underwear, and tights and if I could, I would have probably worn three pairs of trousers to keep wandering hands at bay.

Finally, a messenger ran into the courtyard.

"I have news!" He cried to the crowd.

"Well get on with it!" Yelled someone who sounded like Gina.

The man flushed red. "Maria of Merryweather is dead! We now rule over Moonacre valley and Benjamin Merryweather is soon to be executed!"

There were cheers mixed in with gasps. I was one of the ones gasping. Had the Count murdered Maria?

"What about Robin?" I yelled, without thinking.

The messenger turned to me. "Are you Hope?"

"Who wants to know?" I answered.

"Come with me." He beckoned with a crooked finger and reluctantly I followed.

We ended up on a high ridge, overlooking the sea. The water was frothing and churning, as if it was avenging the death of the moon princess.

"This is what I now own." Said a person behind me.

Without having to turn around, I knew who it was. "While the Merryweathers still live, you own nothing, not even the dirt you stand on."

"One day you will soon see my line of reason" Said the Count.

"Is that why Robin defies you. Is that why Loveday left?"

"You dare speak her name!"

I turned to glare at him. "Oh I dare. She was the best thing that happened to this miserable place, and you made her leave!"

"I will have her killed! For being a traitor to the De Noirs!"

I slapped him hard across the face. "You are a sick twisted man without a good bone in your body!" I screamed at him.

He stepped back. "My wife died."

"And I'm meant to feel sorry for you?" My words dripped in sarcasm.

"I miss her."

"I miss my freedom."

"My son…" He sighed. "Is very ill. His brain has been addled by the late moon princess."

"And what am I to do?"

"I want you to look after him. If you refuse my offer, your head will be cut off and stuck on a spike with the rest of the Merryweathers. Do you accept my proposition?"

"Yes."

I said it without a moment's thought. I was a coward.


End file.
